Real Madrid coach
Zinedine Zidan on
Monday hit back at calls for his club to be banned from the Champions League
for their part in the failed European Super League proposals, saying the
suggestion was “absurd”.
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The Spanish giants were one of 12 major
European clubs to launch the ill-fated Super League last week, with the club’s
president Florentino Perez insisting the project could still go ahead despite
nine of the teams withdrawing within 72 hours of the initial announcement.
UEFA threatened the clubs with “consequences”
before the plans fell apart, but Zidane said any thoughts of a Champions League
ban were misplaced.
“I have already given an answer to this.
It is absurd to think we could not be in the Champions League. It is absurd,
enough said,” the Frenchman insisted ahead of his side’s semi-final first leg
against Chelsea on Tuesday.
“A lot is being said about this at the
moment from outside and from within. What we need to focus on is tomorrow’s
game.
“All the rest is stuff we can’t control,
but my opinion is that we want to see Real Madrid in the Champions League next
year.”
Real chief Perez has been widely
criticized for his part in creating the Super League.
“The president knows what I have in my
heart and we are here to prepare for tomorrow’s game. Now is not the time to
talk about anything else,” said Zidane.
The La Liga champions are bidding for a
record-extending 14th European crown this season and host an in-form Chelsea
side in the first leg.
Real slipped to a second draw in three
league games in a stalemate with Real Betis on Saturday, leaving them two
points behind La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid with five matches to play.
The capital club host Osasuna this
weekend before the second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and then face
league title rivals Sevilla in Madrid on May 9.
“We are alive in both competitions, we
are not going to choose one over the other,” added Zidane, who led Madrid to
the La Liga and Champions League double in 2017.
“We have had lots of difficulties but we
have always showed that we are capable of lifting ourselves. Now we have a
month of the season left and we are going to compete until the end, whatever
happens.”
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